Feeling the Freeze
by jessxreality
Summary: TIVA - The boy was shaking. His eyes skiting back to the only exit. Then to Ziva. His gun was sitting on the table beside him. Safety off. Loaded. “Drop the weapon,” Ziva heard DiNozzo say in her ear. Her gun slipped from her grip, falling to the floor.
1. The Boy

Chapter 1

* * *

The boy's hand twitched towards the gun.

He wasn't going to shoot.

Ziva knew that.

The boy was shaking. His eyes skiting back to the only exit. Then to Ziva.

His gun was sitting on the table beside him. Safety off. Loaded.

But he wasn't going to shoot.

Still, where was McGee?

And Gibbs?

"Last chance," the boy said. His voice shook.

"And then?" Ziva asked.

"I make the call."

"And kill your own sister?"

"She's not my sister," the boy spat.

"Yes. She is. You grew up with her. You love her."

"But she's not my _real_ sister."

"Genetically, no. But she's still your family."

"My father lied!" the boy cried out.

"You'd be surprised how often that happens," Ziva told the boy. "Ever heard of Santa?"

"What?" The boy was anxious. "Of course."

"See, fathers often lie. It's to protect you and your sister."

"She's not my sister!" the boy yelled. He was becoming edgy. Rash. Not a good position to put someone as inexperienced as the kid was in.

And where was McGee?

The boy's hand twitched again. Ziva tensed. He wasn't going to do it.

Then, Ziva heard a click. She froze, stiffening.

A gun, point blank range, to the back of her head. But the boy was standing a few metres away.

"Drop the weapon," Ziva heard DiNozzo say in her ear.

Her gun slipped from her grip, cluttering to the ground.

"Now," DiNozzo continued, "You, kid, get over in the corner. And don't even think about touching that gun."

The boy nodded, moving away slowly.

"Who are you with?" Ziva asked.

DiNozzo laughed. "Ahh, Ziva. Why don't you guess?"

"Apart from N.C.I.S.?" she spat coldly.

"Nah, got sick of that gig." Ziva could almost see the smug smile.

"Yes. I remember." Her voice was acid.

"Good times," DiNozzo muttered in a tone suggesting he was reminiscing. Ziva shivered with anger. And she'd trusted him. For so long. She'd never forgive herself.

"Hardly," she breathed.

"Well," DiNozzo continued. "Shall we get this show on the road?"

Ziva didn't answer. She heard the click of cuffs and the cool metal around her skin. The boy was standing in the corner. Well and truly over his head, and completely aware. Fear was plastered all over his face.

"Oh, the irony," DiNozzo laughed.

* * *

McGee kicked in the door, the gun by his side. The sight that fell upon him almos made him drop said gun.

"Tony?" he asked. The picture was one he never thought he'd see. Tony with his gun pointing at the back of Ziva's head, her kneeling on the ground before him, hands bound. The kid was in the corner, looking terrified.

"Looks like you were just too late," Tony said with a grin. "As always McGee. Shame. I always sorta liked you. Even with your geek mannerisms."

"Mannerisms?" McGee said. "Oh, Tony, you've picked up a book haven't you. I'm so proud." The venom in his voice hurt.

"Well, I admit, I tried to read _Deep Six_ but couldn't get past… well, any of it. Where did you learn to write?" Tony looked smug.

McGee wanted to kill him. He'd learnt his lesson the hard way. And he'd never trust anyone again.

* * *

Gibbs stopped at the door. He'd heard the conversation. He'd heard the name. The voice. Tony DiNozzo. Two years too late. And Vance had still played him. Played them all.

Gibbs walked into the apartment.

"Boss," Tony said immediately. They shared eye contact. Gibbs didn't answer.

"We take the boy and Ziva," he said.

"I get the apartment," Tony told him.

"Deal," Gibbs said. Tony nodded. He removed the gun from Ziva's head. She stood slowly, back stiff. He took the handcuffs off carefully. "Ziva get the kid," Gibbs ordered.

She didn't turn to DiNozzo. Instead, she cuffed the kid and left the apartment. McGee's hand stayed white knuckled on his gun.

"Out, McGee," Gibbs told him. He didn't even get a stiff nod. McGee also left without a glance at DiNozzo.

Finally, it was just Tony and Gibbs.

"I will get you one day," Gibbs promised.

DiNozzo nodded, no smile on his face. "I know."

* * *

Is Tony really the bad guy? And is there a past between him and Ziva?


	2. The Girl

Chapter 2

* * *

The girl was sitting in DiNozzo's chair. At his desk. Ziva felt she suited it.

She was tall. Only seventeen or so.

She leant back in the chair and put her feet on the desk. She smiled.

Ziva smiled with her.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Ziva asked politely. The girl turned her head, as if she only just noticed Ziva there.

"Um….," she considered, "Nah, I'm good."

Ziva thought about this statement. All in her stride. Good.

The girl was wearing a red and black flannelette shirt, black jeans and white converse hi-tops. There were words written in permanent marker all over the white. She looked bored.

"So… what happened to Jason?" the girl asked slowly. Her brother. The boy.

"He's being interrogated," Ziva answered.

"Okay… will he be alright?" the girl's eyebrow creased. Ziva considered. With Gibbs? She doubted it.

"Well, his crimes were…"

"Yeah, I get it," the girl rolled her eyes, "he was trying to kill me."

Okay, a little too relaxed for Ziva's liking.

"Yes and we need to make sure you are safe."

"I'm safe," the girl said. Irrefutable.

"Hardly," Ziva muttered under her breath.

* * *

McGee watched Gibbs from behind the mirror. Jason was playing with his hands. Scared. Worried. Anxious.

"How's Sadie?" the kid asked.

So now he's worried about the sister he tried to kill.

"With Officer David," Gibbs answered calmly.

"Oh," Jason looked relieved.

"You were forced into this. Weren't you? They said they'd kill you if you didn't lure us into this plan. Right?" Gibbs asked.

There was silence. Then, "They said if I didn't pretend to kill Sadie they would actually kill her." The boy was close to hysterical. "They said to wait till that… DiNardo guy to show up, then I'd be free to go. But I guess they knew I'd go to jail for it." There was an almost maniac-like laugh belonging to someone that could only be described as terrified and frenzied.

Gibbs could see it. He wasn't going to push it.

Gibbs nodded.

The kid was a scrawy, maybe nineteen or so, and tall. He wore jeans, sneakers and a hoodie jumper.

Gibbs stood.

"Wait… where are you going?" Jason asked. Again, fear.

"_We_ are going to see your sister," Gibbs told him.

The boy's face lit up. A smile appeared and the tension in his body began to unfold.

"I'm not going to be arrested?" he asked.

"Nope. Come on."

As Gibbs and Jason left the interrogation room, Jason in front, Gibbs behind him, as if protecting him, Abby came off the dinging elevator.

McGee, who's just left the sound room, caught her before Gibbs could.

"He was there. Wasn't he? That's why everyone's freaking out. Tony. And no one will tell me anything. Is Ziva okay? Did he hurt her? I'll kill him. I'll hunt him down and kill him."

The seriousness in her voice scared McGee slightly.

"Ziva's fine," McGee told her. "Physically," he added.

"She's worse?" Abby's face was a mix of pain, concern and fury.

"A little. It shook her up. Seeing him again. It shook all of us," McGee informed her.

The elevator dinged, telling McGee that Gibbs had gone upstairs.

"God, I just hate Tony. I really do, McGee," Abby said, fists clenching.

McGee hugged Abby saying, "Yeah, I know. We all do."

* * *

Tony was fairly sure that the chair he was sitting in was crippling him. It had bad back support, hardly any cushioning and it was breaking at the joints. He sort of wished for his N.C.I.S. chair back.

Gee, that had been such a long time. Two years. And so much different from what he was doing now. Heavy duty underworld crime. His office now was dark and musty, in an old abandonded office building with scarce electricity and any other facilities.

Kyle walked into the room. He was an older Asian man with no much hair and too much power. Tony's new Gibbs. Lee's father.

To be honest, Tony had climbed up the power scale pretty fast considering he was an ex-cop-slash-navy fed. But it was because Tony had the knowledge of the justice and investigation system that led him through this new world. Contacts always helped too.

"You let the girl go?" Kyle asked without any greeting.

"Who? Ziva?"

"Yes, Ziva. The assassin."

"Yeah, I let her go. I didn't have any instructions to keep her."

"She'd have been useful," Kyle mentioned, sitting a chair.

"She'd have also been our downfall. Gibbs would've hunted her down until everyone of us were dead," Tony informed him, only telly half the truth.

"I guess I should trust your judgement on that one," Kyle shrugged. "How long did you work for him anyway?"

Tony stiffened. He hadn't exactly left in a great way. "Too long," was his answer.

"And the kid?" Kyle asked, not pushing the Gibbs thing.

"Let them have him. He'll tell his story and they'll follow up the leads on the cell phone. It should take them to the abandoned mine. I already have man manning it 24/7. Although I'd give the N.C.I.S crew at least a week. They're good, but not that good."

"Well done." Kyle stood, ready to leave. He paused. "And Tony, should I see you get too… concerned of the well being of that… team, your current position can be exchanged for a lower one."

_6 feet lower,_ Tony thought grimly.

"I understand. And no, I have no involvement, nor shall any… feelings get in the way of this case – job."

"Even with the girl?"

Tony waited. "Not even the girl."

"Then we're all set."

_

* * *

_

Tony brushes back a piece of Ziva's hair. She's uncomfortable. Confused.

"_You trust me, don't you?" he asks her. _

"_Of course, Tony," she answers. "What is going on?"_

"_Well… there's something I need to do."_

"_So…" Ziva prompts. Tony moves closer to her. _

"_I can't tell you. It's… it could get you hurt."_

_Ziva laughs. "Of all the things that could get me hurt, I wouldn't be worrying about you."_

"_Are you sure? I might not mean physically," Tony says, strangely serious. _

"_What are you talking about?" Ziva asks, still confused. _

"_It may have taken me a while to get over Jaunne, but that doesn't mean I'm completely blind."_

_Ziva's stomach goes cold with dread. _

"_I… I don't understand," she says. Tony's hand moves to her cheek, brushing his fingers over her jaw. _

_Ziva almost flinches away._

_Tony leans his head in, moving his lips closer to Ziva's. She doesn't know how to react. _

_Then…_

_Four shots go off. Tony jumps away, an apologetic look on his face. _

_Ziva immediately draws her gun, confused as to why there was gunfire in the N.C.I.S building. _

_She searches the room, looking for the shooter. The shooter is at the top of the steel stairs, gun raised. _

_Tony and Ziva, who were the only one's in the room, freeze. But soon, people come bursting out of hallways and doors. Gibbs and McGee are in the office in an instant, guns drawn. _

"_Everyone stop," Lee yells over the stairs, lowering her gun and pointing it at Gibbs' head. "No body move. Wouldn't want good ol' Gibbs to get a shot in the head, now would we?" _

"_What in the hell is going on?" Gibbs asks. _

"_You ready DiNozzo?" Lee asks, looking down at Tony and ignoring Gibbs. _

_All eyes move to Tony. _

_DiNozzo's gun moves, now pointing at McGee's chest. _

"_I'm ready…" _

* * *

Just for all those confused. The last bit was two years ago. The beginning...


	3. The Kids

* * *

The elevator dinged and Gibbs and Jason filed out, Abby and McGee following in the next elevator. Jason ran to his sister, Sadie, and took her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled into her shoulder.

"Come on, Jason, it's fine. I knew what was happening. I knew it wasn't your fault," Sadie soothed him. Jason pulled away, taking her face in his hands.

"I was so scared. I don't know what it was like for you. I just… I have to say sorry. It was my fault," Jason said.

Sadie, surprisingly, smiled. "Oh please, it wasn't your fault. And it would never have been."

Ziva shuffled in her feet, uncomfortable with this sibling affection she'd never been exposed to.

Gibbs walked past her, to his desk, saying, "He was forced into it."

"I guessed," Ziva answered.

"We will still need to ask both of you some questions," Gibbs said louder, getting the attention of the two teenagers.

"Sure," Jason said. "Anything." He paused, then turned to Ziva. "And thank you. For what you did for me. And Sadie."

"It's my job," Ziva answered. "Not that I did it too well today."

"Ziva," Gibbs warned. Ziva just nodded, moving to her desk and pulling up some files on the computer.

* * *

McGee began the questioning. Well, actually it was the girl.

"So do we know who did this?" she asked.

"That's what we wanted to ask you," McGee answered. "Jason, did you see the people who took you captive?"

"No," Jason answered. "I was asleep in my room. I felt people grab me then I fell unconscious. I don't really know what happened after that. I went in and out of consciousness for the next few hours. I do remember being in a truck though. I was tied up on some sort of… mat, I think. It's all the bit hazy."

"I understand," McGee said. "And after that?"

"Well, when I woke, there were three men. They all had black masks on and they were wearing the same black outfits. No brands or anything. Just plain."

"Okay," McGee nodded.

"I was hit, then they took me to the apartment. They sat me down and showed me a photo on the cell phone of Sadie. She was bound and gagged with blood on her face. They said they'd kill her if I didn't do exactly as they said."

"And Sadie? Where were you during this?" McGee asked her.

"I was in my room. It's at the opposite side of the house, so I didn't hear anything. When I woke up Jason was gone, but he usually goes for a run in the morning, so I wasn't worried. It was later that I got worried."

"Did anyone try to contact you?" McGee asked.

"No, I didn't get a single phone call all day. By that night I called you guys," she said.

"Why N.C.I.S? Not the police?"

"Well, Dad's with the Navy, and from previous experiences, the cops are useless most of the time."

"And your mother?"

"My mother's a drug addict. She took off when I was young," Jason answered.

"And mine's dead," Sadie answered.

"So you share the same father?" McGee clarified.

The kids nodded.

"And he lets you stay home by yourself when he's away?" McGee looked sceptical.

"He trusts us," Sadie told him.

"He thinks I can protect Sadie. He trained me," Jason said. But he didn't sound proud. He sounded as if he hated himself.

"You did," Sadie reassured him.

"Yeah, sure," Jason said sarcastically. "I almost got both of us killed."

"Oh, shut up," Sadie said, sounding angry.

Jason made a face at her.

McGee cleared his throat.

The kids turned their heads to him.

"What did your father train you in?" McGee asked.

"Martial arts mostly," Jason said.

"Is there anything else you can think of?" McGee questioned. "Any suspects? Anyone that would want to do this to your father or you? Perhaps any other information you can remember?"

Jason paused for a moment. "No, not really."

"Okay," McGee nodded.

* * *

Gibbs watched the kids as they were escorted away.

"Their story checks out," McGee told him. "One of the neighbours saw a truck pull out of their driveway at 0600, and a call was received at N.C.I.S last night at the time Sadie said she called."

"Their father is Sergent Charles Witlam," Ziva began. "He's a computer programmer who works with shipping navigation. Often goes on various ships with their crew for short periods. Never more than a month or so. He left on the Hital last Tuesday. He's just been informed as to what happened yesterday and we should be able to get him on video camera soon. He also wished to speak to his children."

"Not anytime soon," Gibbs answered.

"He just wants to know if his children are okay," Ziva reasoned.

"So tell him."

Ziva nodded.

"Abby is working on the cell phone Jason was using at the apartment," McGee said. "She should be ready soon."

Gibbs turned, moving away.

"What about DiNozzo's involvement?" McGee called out.

Gibbs froze.

"I want you to find out all you can about Kyle Lee," he told them.

This time Ziva froze.

"Kyle Lee?" McGee said, turning to her. "Who could that be?"

"At a guess, someone related to Lee."

* * *

"_Ready?" Ziva asks, directing her query at Tony. _

_His gun is still pointed at McGee._

"_We," Lee takes over, "are taking over the headquarters." _

_She begins to move down the steel steps. _

"_Vance is just upstairs," Gibbs says calmly. _

"_Nope. He's taking a call," Lee informs everyone. She keeps walking. _

"_Where?" Gibbs asks, his voice lowering. _

"_Out," Lee answered simply as she walked into the bullpens. _

"_It was you," McGee suddenly says. "You were the mole all along. Not Langer."_

"_I think we all worked that one out, McGee," Ziva says acidly, her eyes still on Tony. _

"_Sit," Lee tells Gibbs, pointing the gun at him, then the desk. _

_Gibbs didn't move. _

_Then, from the elevators and various doors, people began walking out, guns raised, all pointing at the team. _

"_Sit," Lee repeats. Gibbs does as he is told. The rest of the team follows suit. Abby, shaking, but quiet, sits in Tony's desk. _

"_Guns on the table," Tony tells them. Again, orders are followed. _

_Tony collects the guns. _

"_What are you doing Tony?" Gibbs asks. _

"_My job."_


End file.
